‘284 paddy purchase centres soon’

Kakinada: The East Godavari civil supplies department has been making elaborate arrangements for purchasing paddy in the kharif season and in total 284 centres are being arranged for this purpose, said Joint Collector S Satyanarayana. Reviewing the arrangements with civil supplies and allied departments at his chambers in Collectorate on Thursday, he said that these purchase centres will be divided between Velugu, Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies, District Cooperative Marketing Societies and Rythu Mitra Groups.

With regard to Minimum Support Price (MSP), the JC said that Rs 1,510 will be paid for A-grade and Rs 1,470 for common variety for a quintal of paddy. He directed both District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and District Co-operative Office (DCO) authorities to check the lists of farmers online.

In this connection the JC directed both marketing authorities to keep constant vigil at check posts and highways over the movement of paddy from outside the State. The Joint Collector also asked the revenue, civil supplies and commercial taxes departments to check the transport of paddy from purchase centres at different points. DM civil supplies, A Krishna Rao, DCO, Pravina DD agriculture, Lakshnama Rao and others attended the meeting.